Maureen McLaughlin, senior advisor to the secretary and director of the U.S. Department of Education’s International Affairs Office, will address the 2014 FinnFest USA’s education forum Wednesday in Minneapolis.
McLaughlin’s remarks will mirror the theme of the conference – “Cradle to Career: Education for the 21st Century World" – as she discusses the Obama Administration's priorities and what children need to be successful in the 21st century, including critical thinking, ability to work collaboratively, command of technology and more. She will touch on lessons from high-performing education systems around the globe and the collaboration necessary to prepare students for the future.
The forum is a collaboration between Finland's Ministry of Education and Science and the Minnesota State Department of Education. Among those expected to attend are teachers, administrators, policy makers, advocates, and thought leaders from Minnesota and Finland in particular, but representatives from U.S. think tanks, as well.
FinnFest USA is an annual festival that blends academic, cultural, and commerce components to present Finnish and Finnish American culture and heritage. It brings modern Finland together with historic and contemporary America.